Shipping address automation method

ABSTRACT

A method for automatically generating a custom name list for use in an order form which can be submitted to an Internet shopping site to complete an order. The method utilizes address book data of the customers that visit such shopping sites to populate an order form, or to populate a selection list, the contents of which can be selectively submitted to the shopping site. In one method according to the invention, names and addresses are read from an address book database and incorporated into a form which enables the user to easily select recipients for one or more gifts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to methods for generating shippingaddress entries to provide a customized recipient list in support ofelectronic commerce transactions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many personal and corporate gifts are purchased on the Internetand shipped directly to specified gift recipients. The user currently isrequired to populate a web page form with each recipient's shippingaddress, a time-consuming process—particularly if multiple gifts are tobe sent.

[0003] Some Internet shopping sites have addressed this problem bymaintaining a list of previous names and corresponding addresses towhich a given user has shipped goods. On returning to the site, the usercan be presented with such a list and may elect to send a further giftto one of the recipients again without having to reenter the addressdata. That arrangement, however, requires the user to confirm or knowthat the address information being maintained by that site is stillcorrect, and only concerns recipients who have previously receivedgifts. The Internet site does not have a reason to stay current with theaddresses nor does it have access to the user's address book data.

[0004] What remains needed in the art is a method by which an Internetshopping site can offer a user the convenience of selecting a recipientfrom a comprehensive customized name list, and not require that the userenter the shipping details for a chosen person on that list; even if itis the first time that a person is chosen.

[0005] What is further needed in the art and has heretofore not beenavailable is a method by which an Internet shopping site can be enabledto read, with the user's permission, the user's client station addressbook data and incorporate that data into a customized name list.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides a method for an Internet shoppingsite to enable its users to select gift recipients from an automaticallygenerated customized name list. The inventive method does not require auser to have previously entered the addresses into a shippinginformation form provided by the web site in order for the order to beprocessed.

[0007] The invention thus provides an Internet shopping site with twodistinct competitive advantages. Firstly, online order completion can bedone faster than the conventional method in which manual entry is madeof all recipient names and corresponding addresses. Secondly, increasedsales can result by reminding users of potential gift recipients intheir address book who they may have forgotten or alternatively they didnot have the inclination to make the effort to enter their addresses ona conventional shipping information form.

[0008] In one aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed for readingnames and addresses from an address book database and incorporating suchdata into a web form such that a user may easily select the person, orpeople, to which a gift, or multiple different gifts, is to be sent. Theaddress book database resides on a machine that is remote from the webserver that supports e-commerce. It will usually reside on the clientstation but may reside on another workstation or server as in the casewhere the user uses shared files through an ASP, extranet, local areanetwork, or otherwise.

[0009] In a related aspect, the invention provides a method forassessing the number and types of address book databases residing on theremote machine and reading the data in one or more of those addressbooks.

[0010] A further aspect of the invention provides a method forgenerating on the client station, as opposed to the World Wide Webserver, a customized name selection form that is then displayed in thebrowser. The advantage to such client side form generation is that thefull contents of the address book need not leave the client station;thus ensuring privacy of the address book contents.

[0011] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention can be further appreciated from the accompanying Figures,Description of the Figures and Detailed Description of the PreferredEmbodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0012]FIG. 1 illustrates a network arrangement of hardware, software anduser components for implementing a method in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 shows an exemplary form (selection form) for selecting giftrecipients and their respective gifts in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the invention;

[0014]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary form (shipping information form) forcorrecting and completing names and addresses of gift recipients inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0015] FIGS. 4A-C illustrates a process flow by which a userinteractively shops online with a web site in accordance with onevariation of the inventive method;

[0016]FIG. 5 serves as a legend for symbols used in FIG. 6-15;

[0017]FIG. 6 illustrates a data flow that uses templates built into theclient station component to construct web pages on the client station;

[0018]FIG. 7 illustrates a data flow that uses templates passed to theclient station component from the host server to construct web pages onthe client station;

[0019]FIG. 8 illustrates a data flow that uses templates passed to theclient station component from a third party server to constructweb-pages on the client station;

[0020]FIG. 9 illustrates a data flow that uses templates on the hostserver to construct web pages on the host server;

[0021]FIG. 10 illustrates a data flow that uses a template passed to theclient station component from the host server followed by a templateresident on the host server to construct web pages at respective sites;

[0022]FIG. 11 illustrates a data flow that uses templates on a thirdparty server to construct web pages on the third party server;

[0023]FIG. 12 illustrates a process flow that uses a template passed tothe client station component from the host server followed by a templateresident on a third party server to construct web pages at respectivesites;

[0024]FIG. 13 illustrates a data flow that uses a template built intothe client station component followed by a template on a third partyserver to construct web pages at respective sites;

[0025]FIG. 14 illustrates a process flow that uses address book datafrom a third party server to construct web pages on the host server;

[0026]FIG. 15 illustrates a process flow that uses address book datafrom a third party server corresponding to names extracted from theclient station address book to construct web pages on the host server.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0027] By way of overview and introduction, a method in accordance witha preferred embodiment of the invention provides a simple two stepprocess for the completion of shipping information by the user of anonline shopping web site. First, the user is presented with a web pageform comprising the previously selected electronic shopping cart itemsand names read from an address book. The user matches gifts torespective recipients by a simple selection process and submits theform. Second, a shipping address form is generated with the recipients'names and corresponding shipping addresses already entered as defaultvalues in the fields. The user need only make necessary changes orcomplete the form where address details were not available in theaddress book entry. The user may then submit the form before enteringadditional recipients and billing information in the conventional way.

[0028] With reference now to FIG. 1, a network arrangement of hardwarecomponents for implementing a method in accordance with the presentinvention is described. The network 100 includes a host server 110 whichprovides content over the Internet 130 to a plurality of distributedusers that access the host server 110 through client stations ormachines 140. The content provided by the host server 110 can be viewedby users through a World Wide Web browser 146 or other functionallyequivalent software running at their respective client stations 140. Inaddition to content, the host server 110 downloads and executes asoftware component 144 on the client station 140 which implements, alongwith other components of the described network 100, the method of thepreferred embodiment, as described below in connection with FIGS. 2-15.The component 144 is proprietary to the inventive method and may be inthe form of ActiveX or other similar software structure. The clientstations or machines 140 can assume a variety of forms, including a homecomputer, a PDA, an Internet compliant telephone, or other Internetcompliant communications device.

[0029] The host server 110 is configured to support electronic commerceand provide goods and/or services for purchase or lease by the users whoaccess it. The host server 110 preferably communicates with othercomponents of the network through a secure connection as understood bythose of skill in the art. Address book data can be read from the clientstation address book database 142, from a third party address bookdatabase 125, or from some other location. Through the use of a thirdparty server 120, users can send gifts to people for whom they may onlyknow a name and/or email address, and the recipient's address can bemaintained private and unknown to the user. A third party server 120also can be used to implement some of the method processes describedherein.

[0030] The host server 110, third party server 120 and plural clientstations 130 are all configured to communicate with one another in aconventional manner over communication link through the Internet 130. Inlieu of the Internet, communications can be through an Intranet orExtranet, as understood by those of skill in the art.

[0031] There is also represented the user 150 which interacts with theclient stations 140.

[0032]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary selection form 200 for selectinggift recipients and their respective gifts in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the invention. The selection form 200 can begenerated on the host server 110, third party server 120, or at theclient station 140, and can be implemented as an HTML file having formtag pairs and suitable input fields between the form tags, or as anActiveX, JavaScript, DHTML or other component that executes on theclient station, as understood by those of skill in the art.

[0033] The name selection form 200 is divided into four region types:header region 210, gift display panel 220, selection grid region 230 andfooter region 250. The header region 210 can include header text andgraphics associated with a particular vendor or web site.

[0034] Below the header region, the gift display panel 220 comprises adisplay of the gifts that have been selected and included in anelectronic shopping basket by the user. The gifts are selected from anonline store in a conventional way. Each gift entry on the gift displaypanel 220 comprises an image 224, description 226 and price 228. Thegift display panel 220 is divided into columns 222 with each giftoccupying a unique column. The gift display panel 220 is preferablyrepeatedly displayed after a predetermined number of row entries in theselection grid (described next) to ensure that at least one gift displaypanel 220 is visible at any vertical scroll position of the selectionform 200. There may be limited horizontal space on the name selectionform 200 to display a large selection of gifts from the electronicshopping cart. This problem may be addressed by limiting the giftselection, decreasing the width of column 222 or staggering the giftimages and text. The problem of too few items in the electronic shoppingcart may be addressed by the software selecting suggested gifts or giftcertificates to augment the selections of the user.

[0035] The selection grid 230 resides below the gift display panel 220.Multiple selection grids 230 can be provided as shown. The selectiongrid 230 comprises a plurality of vertical columns 234 and horizontalrows 236 intersecting to form discrete cells 242. The columns 234preferably are aligned with the gift display panel columns 222. Thecells in the first column 232 of the selection grid 230 contain names244 from an address book. The remaining cells in the selection grid 230contain selectable regions 238/240. By changing an unselected region 240to a selected region 238, the user indicates that the shopping cart item224 in the column should be ordered and shipped to the person 244 in therow. The user makes such a change by selecting the selectable area ofthe cell. There are also buttons 246 in each row which the user mayselect in order to clear the respective row of any selections.

[0036] It is preferable to design the form such that only one gift maybe selected at any given time for a particular individual 244 bygrouping radio buttons in each row 236. Such design will preventmultiple gifts being inadvertently ordered for the same recipient. Theuser may override this functionality by electing to have check boxesinstead of radio buttons on the form, as this would allow for multiplegifts to be selected for a given person.

[0037] The selection grid 230 can indicate that a corresponding addressfor a person has been found in an address book using flags next to theperson's name or by displaying that person's name in a different color.Such an indication can aid the user in deciding on gift recipients. Suchindicators can be enabled when the names and addresses are readconcurrently. The selection grid 230 can even display the read addressesto the user on the selection form 200, although it is preferable to keepsuch data embedded and invisible to the user if it needs to be in theform for data transfer purposes, as described below.

[0038] At the bottom of the selection form 200 is the footer region 250that contains a button 252 the user selects to submit the form to thehost server 110, third party server 120 or software running on theclient station 140 itself.

[0039]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary shipping information form for correctingand completing the names and addresses of gift recipients after the usercompletes the name selection form 200 of FIG. 2. The form 300 hasvarious input fields included between HTML form tags or in an embeddedcomponent. The header region 310 comprises branding header text andgraphics. Below the header region 310 is a plurality of recipientsections 320 and 340. Each recipient section has form input fieldscontaining default values specific to the recipient. The number ofrecipient sections included in the form 300 is equal to the number ofnames that were selected when completing form 200. Names that were notselected when completing the form 200 preferably are not displayed onthe shipping information form 300.

[0040] Address information for Recipient 1 is automatically populatedfrom the address book 125 or 142 and is displayed as default values inthe first section 320. First and last name 322 a, 322 b, telephonenumber 324, address 326 a-326 e and company name 328 are the inputfields changeable by the user. The first section 320 also can containselectable fields for shipping priority 336 and gift details 330-334.The gift details can include a gift image 330, gift description 332 andgift price 334. The gift displayed preferably corresponds to the giftselected for the recipient on the selection form 200.

[0041] The second recipient's section 340 illustrates a case where aname selected on the selection form 200 of FIG. 2 had incomplete addressinformation resulting in fields without default values being displayedon the shipping information form 300. The user is required to completethe address fields 342 a-342 e so that the host server 110 can send thegift to that recipient. The user selects the Next button 350 oncesatisfied with the entries.

[0042] In addition, either or both the Forms 200 and 300 can includeinput form fields for entering custom messages for each recipient.Alternatively, several messages can be entered before the selection form200 is displayed, with additional columns being displayed to allow theuser to select one of the custom messages to be included with theselected gift item. This permits a custom message to be entered once,yet used with several gift recipients.

[0043] The process flow of FIGS. 4A-C illustrates the steps that a usertakes at an online shopping site. At step 402, the user accesses thehost server 110 from the client station 140. The user selects gifts froman online store in a conventional way by adding gifts to an electronicshopping basket at step 404. Once finished selecting gifts, the userproceeds to checkout at step 406. At step 408 the user is prompted witha permission request to access the address book 142 on the clientstation 140. If the user does not give permission, the completion ofshipping details proceeds in a conventional manner. However, if the usergrants permission, or if permission was granted from a prior session(e.g., as stored in a cookie) as can be automatically tested by the hostserver 110, the process flow continues at step 410 with the inventivemethod in which a test is made for the existence of a necessarycomponent 144, ActiveX or similar, on the client station 140 that isproprietary to the inventive method and which interacts with addressbook data as described below. If present, the process continues at step414; alternatively, the component 144 is downloaded to the clientstation 140 at step 412. The user may need to give permission for thecomponent 144 to be downloaded and installed on the client station 140depending on the security settings of the operating system, firewall orweb browser.

[0044] At step 414 a selection template is downloaded from the hostserver 110 to the component 144. The selection template containsformatting information as well as data pertaining to gifts resident inthe electronic shopping basket (e.g., descriptions, prices andreferences to images of the gifts).

[0045] As shown in FIG. 4B, the component 144 scans the client station140 for available address books at step 416 and allows the user toselect which address book should be accessed at step 418. More than oneaddress book may be used by the component 144. Also, the component 144can access selected portions of any of those address books, so that, forexample, only particular categories of entries are retrieved. Forexample, the component 144 can retrieve entries which have beencategorized by the user. A non-limiting list of such categories includespersonal (family and/or friends), business, school, children, social,and club members. In this regard, an optional page can be provided tothe user in which the user selectively grants differing permissionlevels for access by the component 144, as a function of the user'scurrent needs or desires.

[0046] At step 420, the component reads names and addresses in thespecified address book(s) and generates a name list. The componentcreates a selection form at step 422 such as form 200 of FIG. 2, at theclient machine by combining the name list with the selection template(which was preferably previously downloaded from the host server).Recipients' address information is preferably embedded in the selectionform and is invisible to the user (e.g., it is a hidden field in theselection form). At step 424 the selection form is displayed on theclient station 140. The user can select which gift, if any, each personon the selection form is to receive. The user indicates the selection ofgifts for individual recipients by selecting appropriate selectableareas on the selection form at step 426. The user then posts the formwith the embedded address information to the host server at step 428(see FIG. 4C).

[0047] At step 430, the gift recipients' information is displayed to theuser for correction or confirmation in a form such as form 300 of FIG.3. The user makes necessary changes at step 432 and submits the form.The user is then presented at step 434 with a conventional shippinginformation form which permits additional gift recipients who are notincluded in the address book to be entered and submitted to the hostserver 110. The user also can indicate whether the additional giftrecipients should be added to the address book 142. The client residentcomponent 144 manages any address book additions or changes that may beentered by the user during the course of the purchase transaction. Atstep 438 the user enters the billing information and completes thetransaction in a conventional way.

[0048] As understood by those of skill in the art, the process flow inthe context of an object-oriented environment such as the graphical orform interface presented on the World Wide Web, need not be executed inthe order presented in a conventional flow diagram. Rather, processflows can be driven dynamically in response to user actions. Regardingform submission, as understood by those of skill in the art, aclient-side Active X component, Javascript, Visual Basic Script, DHTMLor equivalent can be used to test the form for completeness prior toposting, with suitable prompts given to the user to guide the usertoward completing the form. Thus, for example, the address book can beaccessed (step 420) prior to the user selecting any gifts (step 404) toinform the user of the potential gift recipients in his or her addressbook for whom the user might wish to select a gift.

[0049]FIG. 5 serves as a legend for symbols used in FIGS. 6-15. Block[T] 510 indicates a template containing formatting information for theselection form. Formatting information is divided into the four regionsof the form substantially described above in connection with form 200 ofFIG. 2. It also contains data pertaining to the gift items which mayhave already been selected or which are available for selection,including graphic images or appropriate references to them.

[0050] Block [F] 520 indicates a template containing formattinginformation for the shipping information form. It contains formattinginformation for the various input fields and gift display regions of theform 300, described above in connection with FIG. 3.

[0051] Block [N] 530 and Block [A] 540, respectively, indicate the namesand addresses read from a user-specified address book. Block [S] 550indicates the user's selections of names, and the gift typescorresponding to the selection, on the selection form 200. Block [C] 560indicates the corrections to addresses entered by the user using theshipping information form 300.

[0052] Block [I] 570 indicates a unique identity number assigned to thecurrent transaction. The transaction identity number [I] containsidentity information specific to the online shopping site and can beused by a third party service to identify and bill the shopping site forits services, for example, on a per transaction basis. The transactionidentity number [I] can identify each transaction, if necessary. Thetransaction identity number [I] can occasionally include alphanumericinformation with information pertaining to gifts in the user'selectronic shopping cart for generating the gift display panel 220 ofthe selection form.

[0053]FIG. 6 illustrates a data flow process whereby the names [N] areread (600) from an address book on the client station by the component144 and formatted (601) using a component-resident selection template[T] to define a selection form [T] [N] which is displayed (602) throughthe browser 146. The user 150 selects [S] (603) names and respectivegifts and this data is sent back (604) to the component 144 where it iscombined (605) with the corresponding address data [A] from the clientstation's address book 142 and formatted (606) using a componentresident shipping information form template [F] to define a shippinginformation form. The shipping information form is sent (607) to thebrowser 146 so that the user 150 can interact (608) to make anycorrections [C] that may be necessary. The form is then posted (609) tothe host server 110 where the selected names [S] [N] and addresses [A],and corrected addresses [C] are used along with the corresponding giftinformation to proceed with the order. Any address corrections also canbe provided to the address book (610).

[0054]FIG. 7 illustrates a data flow process whereby a selectiontemplate [T] is downloaded (700) from the host server 110 to thecomponent 144 and combined with names [N] read (701) from the addressbook 142 to define a selection form [T][N] which is displayed (702)through the browser 146. The user 150 selects [S] (703) names andrespective gifts and this data is sent back (704) to the component 144where it is combined (705) with the corresponding address data [A] fromthe address book 142 and formatted (706) with the shipping informationform template [F], which is also downloaded from the host server 110,(e.g., when the template [T] is downloaded), to define a shippinginformation form. The shipping information form is sent (707) to thebrowser 146 so that the user 150 can interact (708) with that form andmake any necessary corrections [C]. The form is then posted (709) to thehost server 110 where the selected names [S] [N] and addresses [A], andcorrected addresses [C] are used along with the corresponding giftinformation to proceed with the order.

[0055]FIG. 8 illustrates a data flow process in which a transactionidentity number [I] is sent (800) from the host server 110 to the clientstation component 144. The transaction identity number [I] contains acode specific to the host server 110 shopping site and specific to thetransaction. The component 144 polls (801) a third party server 120using the transaction identity number [I]. The third party server 120responds by locating (802) and downloading (803) the applicableselection template [T] and shipping information form template [F] to thecomponent 144 along with the original transaction identity number [I].The selection template [T] is then combined with names [N] read (804)from the client station address book 142 to define a selection form thatis displayed (805) through the browser 146. The user 150 selects [S](806) names and respective gifts and this data is sent back (807) to thecomponent 144 where it is combined with the corresponding address data[A] read (808) from the address book 142. The combined data is thenformatted (809) with the shipping information form template [F],previously sent from the third party server 820, to define a shippinginformation form that includes the transaction identity number [I]. Theshipping information form is sent (810) to the browser so that the user150 can interact (811) with that form and make any necessary corrections[C]. The form is then posted (812) to the host server 110 where theselected names [S] [N] and addresses [A], and corrected addresses [C]are used along with the transaction identity number [I] andcorresponding gift information to proceed with the order.

[0056] It can be appreciated that in all the variations of data flowdescribed above in connection with FIGS. 6-8, the web page forms wereconstructed by the client-side component 144. In FIG. 6, both templates[T and F] were resident and specific to the component 144; such dataflow may be preferred if only one shopping site uses the client-sidecomponent 144. In FIG. 7, both templates [T and F] were passed to theclient-side component 144 from the host server 110; such data flow isconducive to multiple host servers from different shopping sitesaccessing the same client side component 144 whilst still providingcustom forms specific to each shopping site. The data flow in FIG. 8 hasboth templates [T and F] passed from a third party server 120, andallows for shopping sites to outsource template maintenance and hostingwhile still achieving branding customization of the forms specific tothe shopping site. It also allows for the third party servers'administrators to centrally track the use of client-side components 144and bill shopping site hosts in accordance with such usage.

[0057]FIG. 9 illustrates a data flow process that differs from FIGS. 6-8in that the web page forms are constructed on the host server 110. Bothtemplates [T and F] remain resident on, and specific to, the host server110. The names [N] are read (900) by the client side component 144 andpassed directly to the host server where they are formatted (901) with ahost server resident selection template [T] to form a selection formthat is downloaded (902) and displayed on the client station browser146. In other words, the selection form is populated with data from thedesignated address books on the client station 140. The user 150 selects[S] (903) names and respective gifts and this additional data is sentback (904) to the host server 110 where it is combined withcorresponding address data [A] read (905) by the component 144 andpassed directly to the host server 110. The combined data is thenformatted (906) with the host server resident address correctiontemplate [F] to define a shipping information form. The shippinginformation form is then downloaded (907) and displayed on the clientstation browser 146 so that the user 150 can interact (908) with thatform and make any necessary corrections [C]. The form is then posted(909) to the host server 110 where the selected names [S] [N] andaddresses [A], and corrected addresses [C] are used along with thecorresponding gift information to proceed with the order.

[0058]FIG. 10 illustrates a data flow process that combines elements ofFIG. 9 with elements of the data flow constructions of FIGS. 6-8. Herethe selection form is constructed by the client side component 144whereas the shipping information form is constructed by the host server110. A transaction identity number [I] along with a shopping sitespecific selection template [T] is passed (1000) to the component 144and both are combined with names [N] and addresses [A] read (1001) bythe component 144 to form a selection form. The selection form is thendisplayed (1002) through the browser 146. The user 150 selects [S](1003) names and respective gifts and this data is posted (1004) to thehost server 110 along with corresponding addresses [A] embedded in theform but invisible to the user. A client side script may be used, asunderstood by those of skill in the art, to post to the host server 110only those addresses corresponding to names selected by the user 150.The posted data is then formatted (1005) with the host server residentshipping information form template [F] to form a shipping informationform. The shipping information form is then downloaded (1006) anddisplayed on the client station browser 146 so that the user 150 caninteract (1007) with the form and make any necessary corrections [C].The form is then posted (1008) to the host server 110, as previouslydescribed.

[0059] The advantage of the data flow in FIG. 10 is that only userselected names and addresses leave the client station; a processconducive to preserving information privacy as with FIG. 6-8. Also, byconstructing the shipping information form on the server side, readilyavailable server-side scripting protocols (Active Server Pages forexample) can be used.

[0060] The data flow in FIG. 11 is similar to that of FIG. 9 in thatboth templates [T and F] remain resident on a server.

[0061] In FIG. 11, the templates are maintained by a third party server120 rather than the shopping site host server 110. The advantage of suchdata flow is that the third party server can host multiple shopping sitetemplates and be responsible for much of the operations of the inventivemethod; this decreases the size of the client-side component, isconducive to easier upgrading of functionality, and allows for billingthe shopping site on a per transaction basis. FIG. 11 illustrates a dataflow process that begins with a transaction identity number [I] beingsent (1100) from the host server 110 to the component 144 where it joinsthe names [N] and addresses [A] read (1101) from the address book 142and posted (1102) to the third party server 120. The third party server120 then formats (1103) the names [N] with the selection template [T]already resident on the third party server 120. The third party server120 selects a selection template [T] to use based on the transactionidentity number [I] which is site-specific. The resulting selection formis downloaded (1104) and displayed through browser 146. The user 150selects [S] (1105) names and respective gifts and this data is postedback (1106) to the third party server 120, and combined (1107) with thecorresponding address data [A]. The combined data is formatted (1108)with the appropriate server resident shipping information form template[F], which is retrieved using the transaction identity number [I]specific to the shopping site with which the user 150 is interacting.The resulting shipping information form is downloaded (1109) anddisplayed through the browser 146 so that the user 150 can interact(1110) with the form and make any necessary corrections [C]. The form isthen posted (1111) to the original shopping site host server 110, asreferenced by the transaction identity number [I], as described above.

[0062] In FIGS. 12 and 13, only the shipping information form isgenerated at the third party server 120. FIG. 13 additionally has theselection template [T] resident at the client station in the component144; the advantages having been substantially described above inconnection with FIG. 6-8.

[0063] With reference now to FIG. 12 in particular, a data flow processis represented whereby the selection template [T] is passed (1200) tothe component 144 along with the transaction identity number [I]. Names[N] and addresses [A] read (1201) from the address book 142 areformatted using the selection template [T]. The selection form is thendisplayed (1202) through the client station browser 146. The user 150selects [S] (1203) names and respective gifts and this data is posted(1204) to the third party server 120 along with corresponding addresses[A] which are embedded in the form, but which are invisible to (hiddenfrom) the user 150. Only those addresses corresponding to names selectedby the user 150 are posted to the third party server 120. The data isthen formatted (1205) on the third party server 120 using the shippinginformation form template [F] to define a shipping information form. Theshipping information form is downloaded (1206) and displayed through theclient station browser 146 so that the user can interact (1207) with theform and make any necessary corrections [C]. The form is then posted(1208) to the host server 110 as described above.

[0064] With reference now to FIG. 13, a data flow process is representedwhereby the names [N] and addresses [A] are read (1300) by the component144 and formatted (1301) with a component-resident selection template[T] to define a selection form which is displayed (1302) through theclient station browser 146. The user 150 selects [S] (1303) names andrespective gifts and this data is posted (1304) to the third partyserver 120 along with corresponding addresses [A] which are embedded inthe form, but which are invisible to (hidden from) the user 150. Onlythose addresses corresponding to names selected by the user 150 areposted to the third party server 120. The data is formatted (1305) onthe third party server with the shipping information form template [F]to define a shipping information form. The shipping information form isdownloaded (1306) and displayed through the browser 146 so that the usercan interact (1307) with the form and make any necessary corrections[C]. The form is then posted (1308) to the host server 110 as describedabove.

[0065] The data flow in FIGS. 14 and 15 differ to those represented informer figures in that address book data [N and A] is obtained entirelyor partially from a third party server 120; the advantages discussedsubstantially above with regard to FIG. 1.

[0066] With reference now to FIG. 14, a data flow process is representedwhereby names are read (1400) by the host server 110 from the thirdparty server 120 and formatted (1401) with a host server residentselection template [T]. The resulting selection form is downloaded(1402) and displayed through the client station browser 146. The user150 selects [S] (1403) names and respective gifts and this data is sentback (1404) to the host server 110 where it is combined withcorresponding addresses [A] read (1405) by the host server from thethird party server 120. (The diagram indicates the source to be the samethird party server 120 from which the names [N] were originally read,however it need not be the same server.) The combined data is formatted(1406) using the host server resident shipping information form template[F] to define a shipping information form. The shipping information formis downloaded (1407) and displayed through the browser 146 so that theuser can interact (1408) with the form and make any necessarycorrections [C]. The form is then posted (1409) to the host server 110as described above.

[0067] With reference now to FIG. 15, a data flow process is representedwhereby a selection template [T] is downloaded (1500) from the hostserver 110 to the component 144 and used to format names [N] read (1501)from the address book 142 to define a selection form which is displayed(1502) through the browser 146. The user 150 selects [S] (1503) namesand respective gifts and this data is sent (1504) to the host server 110where it is combined with corresponding addresses [A] read (1505) by thehost server from a third party server 120. The combined data isformatted (1506) using a host server resident shipping information formtemplate [F] to define a shipping information form. The shippinginformation form is downloaded (1507) and displayed through the browser146 so that the user 150 can interact (1508) with the form and make anynecessary corrections [C]. The form is then posted (1509) to the hostserver 110 as described above.

[0068] The component 144, although represented as a single component,can be implemented as separate components. The component can include aportion that is displayable in the browser and operate in the datadisplay and data input process, as described above in connection withthe selection form and the shipping information form. By designing thecomponent 144 so that it does not generate HTML which is sent to thebrowser but instead resides on a web page form and interfaces directlywith the user, more interactivity with the user is possible.

[0069] The selection template and shipping information form templateboth have been described in certain data flow processes as being builtinto the component 144. It can be appreciated, however, that thesetemplates need not be built into the component 144, but can insteadexist separately on the client station 140 without affecting the processof data flow described above.

[0070] Also, it can be appreciated that names [N] and addresses [A]resident on a third party server may have been previously read from theclient station address book 142 and transferred to the third partyserver for storage. Names [N] and addresses [A] can be, with the user'spermission, read from the client station address book 142 andtransferred to the host server 110 where the host server address bookdata for each individual is stored and used appropriately. The thirdparty can be a trusted intermediary which maintains address data that isnot accessible to the user 150. For example, the third party can be anISP such as America Online which can securely and privately provide ahost server 110 with address information on a potential gift recipientto which the user does not have access. Such methodologies would fallinto the scope of the spirit of this inventive method.

[0071] Depending on the data flow, the client station address book 142can be updated; the user will usually be prompted for permission for thehost or third party to do this. Such functionality allows for addressesto be automatically updated in the client station address book 142.Also, any additional gift recipients entered manually on a conventionalshipping detail form can be added to the address book. Furthermore, theuser can be given the option of having a comment inserted in the memosection of the address book entry of the date and type of gift sent tothe person for future reference purposes. This data can be used to guidesubsequent gift purchases.

[0072] The client station address book used need not reside on the sameclient station being used by the user; instead, it may reside on anotherclient station connected to a local area network or a wide area networkor a virtual private network which has been configured to share, acrossthe LAN, WAN, or VPN, as the case may be, it's address book contents.Such data flow allows, for example, a person to have an assistant on adifferent client station access his/her address book in order to sendgifts to applicable contacts through means of the inventive method.

[0073] The inventive method described has utilized web based componentsfor implementation, although a standalone program may implement theinventive method. The user can install such a program (which may bememory resident as understood by those of skill in the art). When theprogram recognizes that the user has navigated on the client stationbrowser 146 to a web page containing an address form, it can offer inthe form of a pop-up window or the like names and addresses from theaddress book 142 as options for populating the form. The user can easilyselect one or multiple names with which the program automaticallypopulates the current web form in the browser 146. The program canalternatively not use a pop-up window but rather automatically completethe address fields in any given web based address form when itrecognizes the form as such and recognizes the first and last namesentered into the form input fields as matching an entry in the clientstation address book. The inventive method also can be included in anInternet browser or exist in the form of an Internet browser plug-in, asunderstood by those of skill in the art.

[0074] While the present invention has been described with respect to aparticularly preferred embodiment, the invention is susceptible toimplementation in other ways that are within the spirit of the inventionwhich is defined in terms of the recitations of the appended claims andequivalents thereof.

I claim:
 1. A method for facilitating purchases of gift items that aremade available for purchase from a host server, comprising the steps of:a) retrieving at least a set of names of potential gift recipients froman address book; and b) combining into a selection form at a clientmachine one or more gift items available through the host server and theset of names of the potential gift recipients.
 2. The method of claim 1,including the additional step of enabling a user at the client machineto associate gift items with potential gift recipients and therebydefine a set of intended gift recipients.
 3. The method of claim 2,including the additional step of enabling the user at the client machineto associate a message with a potential gift recipient.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the message is entered by the user.
 5. The method ofclaim 3, wherein plural messages can be entered by the user, and whereinthe user can select any one of the plural messages for associating witha particular recipient in the set of potential gift recipients.
 6. Themethod of claim 3, wherein plural messages are displayed at the clientmachine, any one of which is associable with a particular recipient inthe set of potential gift recipients.
 7. The method of claim 3, whereinthe selection form further includes the at least one message which theuser is enabled to associate with the potential gift recipient.
 8. Themethod as in claim 2, wherein the association of gift items withpotential gift recipients is made by selecting a radio button which isdisplayed at the client machine.
 9. The method as in claim 2, whereinthe association of gift items with potential gift recipients is made byselecting a checkbox which is displayed at the client machine.
 10. Themethod of claim 2, including the additional step, once the set ofintended gift recipients has been defined, of presenting at the clientmachine a shipping form which is automatically populated with the namesand shipping information for each of the intended gift recipients, theshipping information including an address which is retrieved from theaddress book.
 11. The method of claim 10, including the additional stepof providing the names and shipping information of the intended giftrecipients to the host server.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein theshipping information for at least one of the intended gift recipients ispopulated in the shipping form free of manual entry by the user.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, wherein, prior to the retrieving step, a userprovides permission to access the address book.
 14. The method of claim1, wherein the address book is retrieved from the client machine. 15.The method of claim 1, wherein the address book is retrieved from athird party server.
 16. The method of claim 1, including the additionalstep of executing a component at the client machine which performs steps(a) and (b).
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection formdisplays, for each name in the set of potential gift recipients, anyprior gift item associations that were made in a previous session withthe host server so as to advise a user of a possible repeat gift itempurchase.
 18. A method for facilitating purchases of gift items madeavailable for purchase by a host server, comprising the steps of: a)downloading to a client machine a component from the host server, thecomponent including a selection template which coordinates withinformation in an address book which is accessible from the clientmachine; b) retrieving into the component at least a set of names ofpotential gift recipients from the address book; c) retrieving from thehost server a set of gift items, each of which is associable with one ormore names in the set of potential gift recipients; d) displaying in abrowser operating at the client machine a matrix of selection cellswhich is defined by intersecting rows and columns, one of the rows andcolumns denoting the set of gift items and the other denoting the namesin the set of potential gift recipients; and e) enabling the user toassociate names in the set of potential gift recipients with gifts inthe set of gift items by interacting with one or more selection cells tothereby define a set of intended gift recipients.
 19. The method as inclaim 18, including the additional step of providing the set of intendedgift recipients to the host server free of manual entry of the names ofthe intended gift recipients.
 20. The method as in claim 18, wherein theinteraction with the selection cells comprises selecting a radio button.21. The method as in claim 18, wherein the interaction with theselection cells comprises selecting a check box.